Improved gun-harpoon



R. BROWN.

HARPOON.

No. 7,410. Patented June 4, 1850 the circular button. 'passed through the last-mentioned hole. it 18 UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

, ROBERT BROWN, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVED GUN-HARPOON.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 7,410, dated Juhe 4,1850.

which are removed to show more clearly the structure of the harpoon.- Fig. 2 is a view of the same discharged from the gun. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same iii a position at right angles to that in which it is represented at Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a transverse section of theshank, and Fig. 5 is a similar section of a shank of 'difierent form.

My harpoons and lances are adapted for firing from a gun. Each is attached to a line in such manner that, while the latter does not cause the harpoon in its flight to vary materially from the direction in which it is aimed, yet at the same time retains its hold upon the barbed head, even though the shank should be broken, the shank having a recess in its side to receive and protect the extremity of the line,

' which is loaded ,with the shank into the gunbarrel. 7

My h'arpoon is composed of a barbed head, 0, secured to the .front extremity of a fluted shank, B, whose hinder extremity terminates I 'in'a circular'button or boss, I), which closely his the gun-barrel A, and serves as the piston against which the projectile force of the gunpowder acts; The barbed head is composed of two triangularblades, d e, the outer one of which is placed at right angles to the inner.

' The shank, nearits junction withthe head, is. pierced, with two holes, a a. It is also pierced with a' third hole, 0, immediately in front of The whale-line is first then drawn along the fluted side oftheshank and inserted through one of the holes c'near the barbed head,be ing then returned through the other hole, a.",f'Its end is securely spliced to the adjoining part, thus forming an eye by which thalineis attached to thehurpoon.

1 When this harpobn is-to be used the gun s loaded with powder in the usual -manner and the shank of the harpoon is inserted upon the wad, the extremity of the line attached to the head of the harpoon passing down into the barrel, along the recess or dating of the shank, through the hole in its butt-end, and returning upward along the listing on the opposite side of the shank to the muzzle 9f the gun, as represented in Fig. 1, and thence to the tub or the reel on which the main body of the line is coiled. When 'the'gun is fired the harpoon is projected as-seen in Fig. -2, the line trailing backward from the butt of the shank.

I construct my harpoons of either cast or wrought iron, with the exception of the smaller bladeof the head, which I prefer to construct of steel, and to secure it t'othe rest of the harpoon by inserting it in a slot and brazing the joint. When the body of the harpoon is of cast metal I prefer to givetheshank the form shown in section at Fig. 5, and to cast a part or the whole of it '-in chills. -It may also be-v made of any other shape thanthat represent- I ed in the drawing, as the constructor may deem expedient;

1n gun-harpoonsas ordinarily constructed the line is attached tearing which runs freely upon the shank and is not. loaded into the gun-barrel. The ring does not enter the barrel of the gun, and the weight of the line retains it at thefmuzzle until the butt-end ofthe shank leaves the barrel and carries the ring with it. If in harpoons thus constructedthe shank should break after the whale is struck by the transverse strain caused by his struggles, the line slips'ofl the broken shank and the whale is lost. I t

With my harpooluon the contrary, the line is attached close to the head where the shank is strongest and least liable tobreak ofl'; hence, even if the shank should break between the butt and the head, the line would still retain its hold upon the latter, while at the same time, as the line is inserted through thehole at I the butt and trails directly after the harpoon, itwill not cause the latter ,to deviate more widely from its true direction thanthose previously used.

' which can be projected from agun for the pur- ;pose ofcaptiiring animals.

Having thus described my improved gun- ,deeire to eecure by Letters Patent, i8-

Attaching the line to both 'the shank and ,In testimony whereof I have herenntesnx the line will trail from the-butt of the shank,

harpoon, what, I claim therein as new, and emlflwilll not tend to depress the head during its ig 1t. 1

the head of the hm-poon in such manner that .SOI'ibGll my name.

the extremity of --the line is loaded, with the I v ROBERT BROW N. harpoon, into the gun and lies in recesses -Witnesses:

made in the shank, and when the gun is fired P.4H. WATSON,

I E. S. Rmiwmx, 

